Display tray



` lIIIllIIIIlIllI// Dec. 22, 1970 K. P. KENDALL ETAL 3,548,610

l DISPLAY TRAY I Filed Nov. a, `1965 y sheets-sheer 1 United States Patent O 3,548,610 DISPLAY TRAY Kynoch P. Kendall, Los Angeles, and Robert McClellan, Canoga Park, Calif., assignors to Dairy Fresh Market Service, Inc., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Nov. 2, 1965, Ser. No. 506,084 Int. Cl. A47f 3/04 U.S. Cl. 62-256 15 Claims This invention relates to refrigerated food display cases and more particularly to display cases having auxiliary trays which do not require self contained refrigeration systems.

The display of food products requiring refrigeration is generally accomplished in the deep well refrigerating cabinets which are found typically in markets and butcher shops and the like.

The typical cabinet has a refrigerator at the bottom and is open at the top. Although the temperature is kept at a satisfactorily low level for refrigerating packages in the botto-m of the wellI there is little or no circulation in the upper part of the cabinet to properly refrigerate packages held on shelves above the Well but still within the cabinet confines. There are trays which can be installed above the well but these have self contained refrigeration systems and are thus cumbersome, heavy and expensive. Further, such trays often obliterate part of the view of the packages in the well. Such trays cannot be hung outside the well because of the weight and requirement of self contained refrigeration and because of unsightly appearance due to the dirt that is produced by the refrigeration apparatus of such devices.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a refrigerated display case having an auxiliary tray that does not require its own refrigeration system.

It is another object of this invention to provide a refrigerated display case having an auxiliary tray which can be suspended outside the case without requiring an additional refrigeration system for the auxiliary tray.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a refrigerated display case having an auxiliary tray which is inexpensive to manufacture and readily installed.

A further object of this invention is to provide an auxiliary tray for refrigerated display cases.

Another object of this invention is to provide an auxiliary tray for refrigerated display cases, which tray does not require its own refrigeration system.

Yet a further object of this invention is to provide an auxiliary tray for refrigerated display cases which tray can be installed on existing cases.

Another object of this invention is to provide an auxiliary tray for refrigerated display cases which tray can be installed outside of and suspended from the display case.

In this invention, a refriegrated display case is provided having an auxiliary tray to contain refrigerated products which tray does not require its own refrigeration system. The auxiliary tray is hung from the edge of the display case and has a novel double wall duct section. The duct section is arranged so that cold air in the display case is drawn through the auxiliary tray through the product and packages contained therein and back to the display case for recirculation through the refrigeration system of the display case. The cold air may be forced through the auxiliary tray by means of an inexpensive, lightweight electric blower mounted within the auxiliary tray.

The novel features which are ybelieved to be characteristic of the invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof will be better understood from the "ice following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawing in which a presently preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawing is for the purpose of illustration and description only, and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a schematic fragmented perspective view of an auxiliary refrigerated tray in accordance with this invention which tray is hung from a refrigerated display case;

FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view showing a display case having an auxiliary tray like that shown in FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a schematic fragmented perspective view of another embodiment of this invention having a blower installed within the tray;

FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional View of the auxiliary tray shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of an alternative embodiment of an auxiliary tray in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 6 is a front elevational View of the embodiment of this invention shown in FIG. 5

FIG. 7 is a side elevational View of the invention as shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line 8 8 of FIG. 5; and,

FIG. 9 is a perspective of the air duct cover and blower used in the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 5.

Referring to the drawing, the auxiliary tray is shown in FIG. l and designated by the general reference character A. The tray is shaped generally as a rectangular box with the upper part open so that products therein are displayed. The tray A comprises side walls 10a and 10b, a front wall 11 and a bottom 12. The walls 10u, 10b and 11 and bottom 12 may be fabricated of sheet metal, plastic or any suitable rigid material. Proximate the rear of the tray A, the side walls 10a and 10b have ends 13a and 13bwhich are contoured to cooperate with the front ledge 15 of a refrigerated display case B. Thus, the tray A when installed will be supported without any other connections by the bearing engagement of ends 13a and 13b with ledge 15. Within tray A is a floor 17. The floor 17 is rectangular and spaced parallel to and above bottom 12. Floor 17 is fabricated of metal or plastic screening or perforated sheet such that air can pass freely therethrough. Floor 17 is spaced above bottom 12 by an amount sufficient to leave a space that allows air to pass freely throughout.

Proximate the rear of tray A is affixed duct section 20. Duct section 20 is formed of two parallel sheets 21a and 2lb spaced apart by a suicient distance to allow air to pass freely therethrough.

The sheets 21a and 2lb are held in xed relationship by end plates 22a and 22h. Thus, end plates 22 form the side closure of the duct 20. Section 20 is made of sheet metal or plastic. Section 20 extends laterally between end walls 10a and 10b and is axed to the walls 10a and 10b by welding or any other suitable fastening method. Section 20 is contoured as are ends 13a and 13b to cooperate with the surface of ledge 15. The downward facing ends 24 and 25 of section 20 are open and thus allow air to pass freely through section 20. Sheet 2lb extends below sheet 21a and is integral with bottom 12. Sheet 21a extends to a point proximate screen floor 17 so that a continuous duct is formed by section 20 and oor 17 so that air can pass as show-r1 by the arrows in FIGS. l and 2.

Connected to sheet 21a proximate open end 25 by spring hinge 26 is baffle 30 which is held by pressure engagement to the inside wall 31 of refrigerated case B. The baffle 30 extends downwardly beyond a vent port 33 provided in wall 31. Thus, as shown by the arrows in FIGS. l and 2, air which passes into tray A at the top goes through screen floor 17 to duct section 20 and therethrough to baffle 3G which directs the air through port 33.

Case B is a refrigerated case of the type well known to the art having double walled construction with a refrigerating unit 51) located in the bottom part of the case B between the walls so that refrigerated air is dispersed through ports 51 and 52. The air returns to refrigeration unit 50 through inlet port 33 as shown by the arrows.

Thus, in operation with auxiliary tray A installed on refrigerated case B, cold air is directed out from ports S1 and 52 through goods 60 contained in the well of case B and over the top of goods 60 into tray A. The cold air passes through goods 62 in tray A and then passes through floor 17 to duct section 20 and is directed by baffle 30 through port 33 back to refrigeration system 50. Thus, goods 62 contained in tray A are kept properly refrigerated without the necessity of tray A having its own refrigeration system. Because cold air will tend to fall because of its density, most of the cold air from port 52 passes through tray A as shown by the arrows in FIG. 2, and thus efficient operation is achieved at low cost. Since tray A is suspended external to the main body of case A, no display space for the goods 60 in the well is lost. Thus, display capacity is increased without degrading refrigeration performance.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 in the drawing, an ernbodiment C of the invention is shown which is similar to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 with the addition of a blower to force cold air through the auxiliary tray.

Outer wall '70 of tray C is formed similarly to the 'walls of tray A. Thus, tray C is suspended from the ledge of the case as in tray A. Floor 71 is a screened floor like floor 17 in tray A. Duct section 72 is also formed like section 20 in tray A; however, section 72 does not terminate at the upper part of oor 71 `but continues below floor 71 and connects to the inlet 73 of blower 74 which has its air output at outlet 75. Blower 74 is contained in the space between floor 71 and bottom 76. Blower 74 may be any small blower, however, for quietness of operation a small electrically driven squirrel cage type blower is preferable.

Auxiliary tray C may be used with any conventional refrigerated display case by simply hanging tray C to the ledge 80 of the case. Because blower 74 forces air through tray C, it is not necessary to have a refrigerated display case with vents or ports located so that air by convection or by forced flow from the refrigeration system of the case will pass through the tray C. As shown by the arrows in FIGS. 3 and 4, cold air from the well of the refrigerated display case will be drawn by blower 74 through section 72 into the inlet 73 of blower 74 and through blower 74 to outlet 75. The air then passes through goods 83 containing tray C and back to the well of the case to be returned to the refrigeration system of the case.

Referring now to FIGS. through 9, an alternative embodiment of the invention is shown which is extremely eicient in operation and is readily fabricated. The tray assembly is denoted by the general reference character D.

Tray assembly D is formed of two portions, the main 4tray portion 110 and the air ow portion 111. The tray portion 110 is formed in the preferred embodiment of plastic; however, any suitable material such as metal may be utilized. Plastic is particularly advantageous because of economy and the capability of being easily formed or molded.

Tray portion 110 is generally rectangular shaped with a depending ledge section and is formed to cooperate i structurally with air flow section 111. Tray portion 110 has a front wall 116, a bottom 117, side walls 118 and a back wall 119. Back wall 119 bends at right angles to form edge section 115. The tray assembly is retained and held on a front wall 120 of a refrigerator case (not shown) in a manner similar to that described hereinabove for the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1.

U-shaped metal brackets 122 are formed to cooperate in abutment with the upper portion of case wall 120. The brackets 122 are attached to wall 19 by screws or other suitable fastening means such as, for example, cotter pins. `Ledge section 115 is dimensioned to overhang the top 126 of case wall 120 so that as will be described hereinbelow section 111 can properly return air to the refrigeration case. Brackets 122 are spaced apart laterally as best observed in FIG. 5. Two brackets 122 are found to be sucient to hold the tray D no matter how heavily loaded with food products. Tray portion 110 is formed in manufacture with raised portions to provide the receiving area for air ow section 111. The raised sections are inlet section 130, fan section 131, riser section 132, and outlet section 133, which sections cooperate respectively with inlet section 140, fan section 141, riser section 142 and outlet section 143 of air flow section 111 to form a forced air ducting system. Since tray portion 110 is one integral piece of material, the raised portions of portion 110 are connected by side walls such as, for example, walls 143 to the portions of the tray 110 from which they are raised. The side walls in the preferred embodiment are so formed as to make the cross section of the air ow duct trapezoidal; this shape is not critical and is accomplished for appearance. Any other cross sectional shape would be satisfactory for operation of the invention. The raised portion 130, since it is at the front of the tray portion 119, forms a angled notch which traverses across the front of tray 110. Section 140 of the air flow section 111 has a rounded outer wall and side plates 152 so that when the air flow section 111 is installed, the tray D presents an attractive and smooth appearance and the air duct is formed. Fan section 141 is spaced from inlet section 140 by a distance X which is the distance equal to the depth of notch 150. This separation permits air from the inlet to pass through the fan section 141. In section 141 a fan 160 is installed to draw air through the duct. The fan is an electrical fan of the type well known in the art. Fan 160 is attached to fan section 141, by bolts 161 or other suitable fastening means. Air ow section 111 is attached to tray portion 110 by bolts 162 or other suitable fastening means. Outlet section 143 of section 111 extends by some predetermined distance beyond section 133 to provide for more efficient and positive air return. Slots 165 are provided in the top of inlet section 130 of tray 110 for providing air to the duct created by section 111.

In operation, food products required to be refrigerated are placed in the tray D as shown in FIG. 7. `Refrigerated air from the refrigerated case flows into tray D over case wall 120. The air is drawn then through inlet slots 165 by fan 160 through the duct and then out from section 143 back to the refrigerated case.

There has, thus, been described a new and improved structure for a refrigerated display case having an auxiliary tray which vkeeps products therein properly refrigerated without requiring any additional refrigeration system. There also has been described an auxiliary tray for use on an existing refrigerated display case which tray properly refrigerates products therein and which does not require its own refrigeration system. It is to be expressly understood that various modifications can be made to the embodiments of the invention herein described without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination:

a refrigerated display case and an auxiliary tray mounted thereto;

said tray comprising a substantially rectangular tray housing having a front wall, a rear wall, two side walls and a bottom, said tray being open at the upper part thereof, a screen oor within said housing, said floor being parallel to and spaced above said bottom; and

duct means for connecting the interior of said tray beneath said screen floor to the interior of said case,

whereby cold air from said case is drawn by con- -vection into said tray and through said screen floor to cool goods contained on said floor of said tray and returned by said duct means to said case so that said air is recooled by the refrigeration system of said case.

2. In combination:

a refrigerated display case having a front ledge and an auxiliary tray;

said tray comprising a tray housing having a peripheral retaining wall and a bottom, said tray being open at the upper part thereof, said retaining wall being adapted to attach to said ledge of said case, a perforated iloor within said housing, said floor being spaced above said bottom, a blower mounted to said housing, said blower adapted to blow air through said perforated lloor; and

duct means connected between said blower and said case,

whereby cold air from said refrigerated case is drawn through said duct means by said blower and through said perforated floor to cool goods contained on said oor of said case.

3. In combination:

a refrigerated display case having a front ledge and an auxiliary tray;

said tray comprising a substantially rectangular tray housing having a front wall, a rear wall, two side walls and a bottom, said tray being open at the upper part thereof, said side walls being adapted to attach to said ledge of said case, a screen floor within said housing, said floor being parallel to and spaced above said bottom, said oor defining an opening for a duct, a blower mounted between said floor and said bottom; 'and duct means connected between said blower and said case, said duct means passing to said case through said duct opening in said floor,

whereby cold air from said refrigerated case is drawn through said duct means by said blower and through said screen floor to cool goods contained on said lloor of said case.

4. In combination:

a refrigerated display case having a front ledge and an auxiliary tray;

said tray comprising a tray housing having a peripheral :retaining rwall and a bottom, said tray being open at the upper part thereof, said retaining wall being adapted to attach to said ledge of said case, a oor within said housing, said floor spaced above said bottom, said floor defining an opening for a duct, said floor having means adapted to allow air to passy through said oor over substantially the entire area of said floor, a blower mounted between said oor and said bottom; and

duct means connected between said blower and said case, said duct means passing to said case through said duct opening in said oor,

whereby cold air from said refrigerated case is drawn through said duct means by said blower and through said floor and to cool goods contained on said floor of said case.

5. In combination:

a refrigerated display case having a front ledge and an auxiliary tray;

said tray comprising a substantially rectangular tray housing having a front wall, two side walls and a bottom, said tray being open at the upper part thereof such that said ledge forms a rear wall of said housing, a screen floor within said housing, said oor being parallel to and spaced above said bottom, said oor defining an opening for a duct, a blower mounted between said oor and said bottom; and

duct means connected between said blower and said case, said duct means passing to said case through said duct opening in said oor and over said ledge, said duct means so oriented as to draw air upwardly from said case,

whereby cold air from said refrigerated case is drawn throguh said duct means by said blower and through said screen door to cool goods contained on said floor of said case.

6. In combination:

a refrigerated display case having a front ledge and an auxiliary tray;

said case comprising a double Walled housing with a refrigeration system between the walls of said housing, outlet vent means adapted to pass refrigerated air to said auxiliary tray, inlet vent means adapted to receive air that has passed through said tray and to return said air to said refrigeration system;

said auxiliary tray comprising a substantially rectangular tray housing having a front wall, a rear wall, two side walls and a bottom, said tray being open at the upper part thereof, a screen oor within said housing, said iloor being parallel to and spaced above said bottom.

7. An auxiliary tray adapted for use With a refrigerated display case;

said tray comprising a substantially rectangular tray housing having a front lwall, a rear wall, two side walls and a bottom, said tray being open at the upper part thereof, a screen floor within said housing, said floor being parallel to and spaced above said bottom; and

mounting means for connecting said tray to said case,

said mounting means including duct means extending from the interior of said tray housing beneath said screen floor to the interior of said case,

whereby cold air from said case is drawn by convection into said tray and through said screen floor to cool goods contained on said floor of said case.

8. An auxiliary tray adapted for use with a refrigerated display case having a front ledge;

said tray comprising a tray housing having a peripheral retaining wall and a bottom, said tray being open at the upper part thereof, said retaining wall being adapted to attach to said ledge of said case, a perforated floor within said housing, said floor being spaced above said bottom, a blower mounted to said housing, said blower adapted to blow air through said pert forated floor; and

duct means connected between said blower and said case,

whereby cold air from said refrigerated case is drawn through said duct means by said blower and through said perforated oor to cool goods contained on said oor of said case.

9. An auxiliary tray adapted for use with a refrigerated display case having a front ledge;

said tray comprising a substantially rectangular tray housing having a front twall, a rear wall, two side walls and a bottom, said tray being open at the upper part thereof, said side walls being adapted to attach to said ledge of said case, a screen oor within said l housing, said oor being parallel to and spaced above said bottom, said floor defining an opening for a duct,

a blower mounted between said fioor and said bottom; and duct means connected between said blower and said case, said duct means passing to said case through said duct opening in said oor, whereby cold air from said refrigerated case is drawn through said duct means by said blower and through said screen floor to cool goods contained on said floor of said case. 10. An auxiliary tray adapted for use with a refrigerated display case having a front ledge;

said tray comprising a tray ho ing having a peripheral retaining wall and a bottom, s `id tray being open at the upper part thereof, said *retaining wall being adapted to attach to said ledge of Said case, a oor within said housing, said oor spaced above said bottom, said oor defining an opening for a duct, said oor having means for allowing air to pass through said floor over substantially the entire area of said floor, a blower mounted between said floor and said bottom; and duct means connected between said blower and said case, said duct means passing to said case through said duct opening in said floor, whereby cold air from said refrigerated case is drawn through said duct means by said blower and through said oor to cool goods contained on said floor of said case. 11. An auxiliary tray adapted for use with a refrigerated display case having a front ledge;

said tray comprising a substantially rectangular tray i housing having a front wall, two side walls and a bottom, said tray being open at the upper part thereof such that said ledge forms a rear wall of said housing, a screen oor within said housing, said oor being parallel to and spaced above said bottom, said oor defining an opening for a duct, a blower mounted between said floor and said bottom; and duct means connected between said blower and said case, said duct means passing to said case through said duct opening in said floor and over said ledge, said duct means so oriented as to draw air upwardly from said case, whereby cold air from said refrigerated case is drawn through said duct means by said blower and through said screen Hoor to cool goods contained on said floor of said case. 12. An auxiliary tray adapted for use with a refrigerated display case;

said tray comprising a substantially rectangular tray housing having a front wall, a rear wall, two side walls and a bottom, said tray being open at the upper part thereof; duct means for drawing air through said tray and returning said air to said case; and

CII

8 means for connecting said tray to said case, whereby cold air from said case is drawn into said tray and through said duct to cool goods contained on said floor of said case. 13. An auxiliary tray as claimed in claim 7 wherein said duct means has a blower therein.

14. An auxiliary tray adapted for use with a refrigerated display case;

said tray comprising a tray section and an air ow section; said tray section being generally rectangular in shape and open at the top thereof; said air flow section having an inlet proximate the lower front part of said tray section and having an outlet proximate the upper rear part of said tray section; said tray section having ports proximate the lower front part thereof, said parts being in communication with said inlet of said air flow section; and a blower mounted within said air flow section, whereby air from said display case is drawn through said ports by said blower and returned by said outlet to said display case. 15. An auxiliary tray adapted for use with a refrigerated display case;

said tray comprising a tray section and an air flow section; said tray section being generally rectangular and open at the top; said tray section having portions formed therein to cooperatively t with said ow section so that an air duct is formed thereby; said duct having an inlet proximate the lower front part of said tray section and an outlet proximate the upper rear part thereof; a blower mounted within said duct', and ports dened in said tray section proximate the lower front part thereof, said parts being in communication with said inlet of said duct, whereby air from said display case is drawn into said ports and then through said duct to said outlet and returned to said case.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,928,239 9/1933 Amyot 62-249 2,896,423 7/1959 Pettinato 62--249 3,135,568 6/1964 Burkholder 62-246 3,204,421 9/1965 Jirel 62--252 WILLIAM J. WYE, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 62-419 

1. IN COMBINATION: A REFRIGERATED DISPLAY CASE AND AN AUXILIARY TRAY MOUNTED THERETO; SAID TRAY COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR TRAY HOUSING HAVING A FRONT WALL, A REAR WALL, TWO SIDE WALLS AND A BOTTOM, SAID TRAY BEING OPEN AT THE UPPER PART THEREOF, A SCREEN FLOOR WITHIN SAID HOUSING, SAID FLOOR BEING PARALLEL TO AND SPACED ABOVE SAID BOTTOM; AND DUCT MEANS FOR CONNECTING THE INTERIOR OF SAID TRAY BENEATH SAID SCREEN FLOOR TO THE INTERIOR OF SAID CASE, WHEREBY COLD AIR FROM SAID CASE IS DRAWN BY CONVECTION INTO SAID TRAY AND THROUGH SAID SCREEN FLOOR TO COOL GOODS CONTAINED ON SAID FLOOR OF SAID TRAY AND RETURNED BY SAID DUCT MEANS TO SAID CASE SO THAT SAID AIR IS RECOOLED BY THE REFRIGERATION SYSTEM OF SAID CASE. 